I could live here!
I've become infatuated with this adorable little town, New Bern, North Carolina. Remember reading the play Our Town, by Thornton Wilder, in oh, eighth grade or so? Granted, that story was based on a real-life New Hampshire town, but still.
New Bern was founded in 1710 and went on to illustrious service as North Carolina's colonial capital, evidently thanks to its strategic location at the confluence of the Neuse and Trent Rivers, some 35 miles from the Atlantic.
I wandered around town yesterday and was thoroughly charmed. I happened on a church whose yard was littered with pumpkins and frolicking children engaged in Halloween activities. If I'd had more time here, I'm sure I would have spent a fortune in the various antique shops sprinkled through town. My favorite was one called Orange Cat whose namesake kept following me around after I pet him. Another thing I noticed were fliers and banners everywhere announcing things like, Greek Festival. Shag Dancing Nite. Farmer's Market. New Bern Civic Theatre presents... etc.
My impression is that locals are really invested in civic participation, and I like that. I'd pick living here over a large city in a heartbeat, simply because in comparison to this, cities are so anonymous. In this setting, one could really impact a community. I guess I don't know really how to say it. Places like these just seem so safe, so pocketed away from the chaos of the world, so quietly firm and genuine in their values. I see locals here as earnest and caring about their community.. maybe I'm getting caught up in some romantic notion of what it's like here, without truly knowing, but..
I get to feeling so jaded travelling as much as I do. I've lived in four different countries and been to about twenty. I never considered myself less than cosmopolitan since birth, really, never thought of myself as a small-town person. Granted, maybe I couldn't live here. But maybe if I were loaded I'd keep a summer home.
posted by Devashan @ 9:13 AM
1 Comments:
Right on about New Bern! I visited about two years ago and HATED it. Granted, we drove in during a lovely storm, couldn't find our hotel, realized the air conditioner was broken, and high-tailed it out of there ASAP, but I really disliked the dirty little North Carolina town. Then I had an opportunity to go back during a sunny spring day and fell in love with the birthplace of Coke (or is it Pepsi?). New Bern is a charming Southern 'burb with antique shops you can lose an afternoon in, a gourmet restaurant in the town center, an infamous witch coven (ask a waitress...) and a large Masonic temple. In other words, a very typical yet incredibly interesting town with an abundance of civic pride.
BTW - I hear you about Ramadan, the sand flies, the feeling of being a bad friend because we're gone so much, and the Bullpen. Their lunch salad is surprisingly edible.
Keep up the good work,
Your co-worker you gave your blog address to in an Irish hotel bar (does that really narrow me down?) who also loves to write and, while I wasn't in your class, became an Airhostess about the same time as you. LOL!
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